Game apparatus



E[ E. BLAU GAME APPARATUS Sept 8, 1936.

Filed May 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 8, 1936.

E. E. BLAU GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 12345 mnwmw mmmmm 234 5 7BBWH23M5578H ZVJ FDGF HUHU Z o wnnummmmmm mnmmmmmnmm Patented Sept. 8, 1936 UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Ernest E. Blau, Queens Village, N. Y. Application my 22, 1935, Serial No. 22,889 15 Claims. (01. 213-130) My invention relates to game apparatus of the type wherein the targets of one player are screened from the observation of his opponent.

An important object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of the above mentioned character so constructed that a battle may be played between opposingforces, in a highly inter; esting and realistic manner.

A further object of-the invention is to provide means whereby a target may be placed upon the board in a selected position, and at the maximum number of different angles at such selected position, making it more dimcult for the opponent to hit the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide the target with a socket or sockets for receiving a peg or pegs, whereby the target will carry the selected number oi pegs for indicating its removal, when hit the proper number of times.

A further object of the invention is to provide each player with a score keeping device including the representation of the targets of his opponent without indicating the location of the same, so that a proper record may be kept of the hits.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of the above mentioned character which is particularly well adapted for playing a battle between opposing fleets of warships, while not necessarily restricted to this use.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a board structure, showing the same opened,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the board structure, showing the same closed,

Figure 3 is a plan view of boxes or receptacles for receiving the sets of pegs and the targets,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the "battleship target,

Figure 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a "cruiser tar- Figure '7 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a destroyer" target,

Figure 9 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same,

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a submarine target,

Figure 11 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the same,

Figure 12 is a plan view of the board structures of the two opponents, the shooting boards being horizontally arranged for the purpose of illustration, and,

Figure 13 is an end elevation of the board structures of the opponents, showing the same as arranged in use;

Figure 14 is a side elevation of a target showing a modified form of attaching means, the target board being shown in section,

Figure 15 is a fragmentary plan view of the modified form of target board, showing the target thereon,

Figure 16 is a fragmentary plan view of a modifled form of shooting board showing a. modified 15 form of player piece, and,

Figure 17 is a transverse section I'I-I'I of Figure 16.

In order toplay the game there are two opponents and these opponents have board structures l5 and I 5', which are identical. Each board structure embodies a target board I 6 and a shooting board ii. The shooting board I! is hinged at one longitudinal edge with the adjacent edge of the target board It, as shown at l8, so that the shooting board I! may be swung to a raised position with respect to the target board It or moved to a closed or collapsed position thereon. The opened and closed positions are shown more particularly in Figures 1, 2, and 13. A link i9 is pivotally connected with a bracket 20, and this bracket is attached to the target board it, as shown at 2|, and this link has a longitudinal slot 22 receiving a headed stud 23, rigidly attached to the shooting board H. The arrangement is such that when the shooting board I! is raised to the opened position, it will be swung slightly past the vertical, and will then be stopped by the headed stud 23 engaging the end wall of the slot 22, whereby the raised shooting board will not readily fall from the opened position.

The target board has its upper face provided with longitudinal lines 24, which are equi-distantly spaced, and is further provided with transverse lines 25, which are equi-distantly spaced, these longitudinal and transverse lines preferably intersecting at right angles, as shown. These intersecting longitudinal and ,transverse lines produce rectangular blocks or spaces 26. These blocks or spaces are all of the same size and each block or space has a substantially greater length than width. The blocks or spaces 26 are grouped in longitudinal rows and also in transverse rows. The alternate blocks in each longitudinal row are provided with peg receiving socktaken on line ets or recesses 21, as shown. The arrangement of the sockets or recesses 21 is such that the sockets or recesses of one longitudinal row of blocks are staggered with respect to the sockets or recesses 21 of the next longitudinal row of blocks. The arrangement produces longitudinal rows of sockets or recesses 21 which are preferably designated by numerals 28. running from "1 to 19 inclusive, and preferably located at the opposite ends of the shooting board. The number of longitudinal rowsof sockets or recesses may be varied, and hence the numerals in the designations 28 may be increased or decreased. The sockets or recesses 21 .are also arranged in transverse rows, which are designated by letters 29, arranged alphabetically and running from A to M. The number of transverse rows of sockets or recesses may be increased or decreased, and the designating letters will be increased or decreased accordingly. It is not necessary that the sockets or recesses 21 extend through the target board from one face to the other, but the sockets or recesses may do so if desired. The sockets or recesses 21 in the transverse rows A-M" are closer together than the sockets or recesses 21 in the longitudinal rows 1-19, and these sockets also are grouped in diagonal rows, and the diagonal rows are disposed at an angle of about 45 with respect to the transverse rows. The arrangement is such that there is one set of diagonal rows of sockets or recesses inclined upwardly toward each transverse row and another set of diagonal rows of sockets inclined downwardly toward each transverse row. The sockets or recesses 21 in the diagonal rows are the same distance apart as the sockets or recesses in the transverse rows. This renders it possible for the target. to be described, when placed in a selected position upon the target board, to assume any one of six angular positions, which renders it more difficult to hit the target.

The shooting board I1 of each board structure has its playing face, which is arranged facing the player, when the shooting board is raised, provided with the identical longitudinal lines 24, transverse lines 25, blocks or spaces 26, sockets or recesses 21, designating numerals 28, and designating letters 29. The same longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal rows of sockets or recesses 21 are therefore provided in or upon the playing face of the shooting board 11, and the recesses or sockets preferably do not extend through the forward face of the board I1, although they may do so, if desired. If the shooting board-l1 has its playing face arranged uppermost and is then placed upon the upper face of the target board 16, the lines and sockets of the shooting board 11 would then coincide with the lines and sockets of the target board, respectively, as is obvious.

Each shooting board is provided upon its lower portion, beneath the sockets or recesses with a score keeping device including score keeping elements representing the several targets of the opponent. These score keeping elements may be in the form of printed pictures of the targets, here shown for the purpose of illustration as a fleet of warships. These several score keeping elements are designated at 30 battleship, at 3| cruiser, at 32 destroyer, and at 33 "submarine". When the targets represent warships, it is preferred to require different numbers of shots to sink different ships. It is preferred that four shots be required to sink the battleship target, and the battleship" score keeping element is therefore provided with four sockets or recesses 34 to receive pegs, for a purpose to be explained.

For a similar reason the crulser" score keeping element is provided with three recesses 35; each destroyer score keeping element with two recesses 36, and the submarine score keeping element with one recess 31. The targets in the present embodiment of the invention will correspond to the score keeping elements.

Each player is provided with targets, and for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the targets as comprising a battleship" target 38, a cruiser" target 39, two "destroyer targets 40, and a submarine" target 4|. Fewer or more ships may be used, or different types of ships may be used. The battleship target is provided with a pair of spaced pegs 42, rigidly secured thereto and depending therebelow. These pegs are spaced the same distance apart as the sockets or recesses 21 in the transverse and diagonal rows, and hence the pegs 42 may be inserted in any pair of sockets or recesses 21 in any diagonal row or in any pair of sockets or recesses 21 in any transverse row. The "battleship target 38 is provided in its upper surface with four peg receiving sockets or recesses 43, so arranged that they will coincide with four of the sockets or recesses 21, when the battleship target is placed upon the target board. In a similar manner, the cruiser target 39 is provided with a pair of spaced pegs 44, corresponding to the pegs 42 and adapted for insertion within the sockets or recesses 21 in the transverse or diagonal rows, and the cruiser target 39 has three peg receiving sockets or recesses 45, which will coinciue with three of the sockets or recesses 21 when the cruiser target is placed upon the target board 16. Each "destroyer target has a pair of spaced pegs 46, corresponding to the pegs 42, and adapted to be inserted within the sockets or recesses 21 in the transverse and diagonal rows, and each destroyer target is provided with peg receiving sockets or recesses 41, concentric with the pegs 4B and therefore adapted to coincide with a pair of sockets or recesses 21 when the "destroyer target is placed upon the target board. The submarine target 4| has one peg 48 for insertion within a selected socket or recess 21 and the submarine target has one socket or recess 49 concentric with its peg 48 and therefore adapted to coincide with the selected socket or recess 21 when the submarine target is placed upon the target board.

Each player is provided with identical sets of pegs, Figure 3, which may be designated by the reference characters a to r, inclusive, and held within compartments A to X, inclusive, respectively. These pegs have been designated by the reference characters a to as for the purpose of convenience in describing the operation of the game, but the different sets of pegs are preferably distinguished from each other by different colors. One set of pegs may be green, another set brown, another set yellow, another set red, another set purple, another set black with blue caps, another set brown with yellow caps, another set yellow with red caps, etc. While I have shown pegs as constituting the player pieces, yet the invention is not restricted to the use of pegs, as player pieces in the form of headed pins may be used, as will be described.

The playing of the game is as follows:

The players face each other, and the back of the shooting board I1 of one board structure is disposed opposite the back of the shooting board I1 of the opponent, as illustrated in Figure 13, the playing face of each shooting board ll be- 4 in the socket C5".

ing arranged lacing each player. The shooting boards I! also serve to screen or cover the target boards, so that the targets of the opponent cannot be seen by the player. In Figure 12, the two board structures are facing in the same direction rather than in opposite directions for the Pu pose of illustrating the playing of the game.

The opposing fleets may be arranged upon the target boards, in the positions shown in Figure 12. This arrangement is made for the purpose of illustration. The battleship target 38, board structure l5, has its pegs 42 inserted in sockets 21, which would be designated B-l4" and C-li by reading the letters to the right and the numerals 28 downwardly. By withdrawing the rear peg 42 from its socket and turning the "battleship target for about 45, the pegs 42 will now enter sockets 0-13 and "3-H". The battleship" target may further be turned so that its pegs 42 will be in sockets Bl2 and "B-l4, and it may be turned for about so that its pegs 42 will be in sockets Bl4 and 13-46. This adjustment is on one side of the transverse line and there are also two angular positions of adjustment on the opposite side of the transverse line, making a total of six possible angular positions throughout a complete circle. To be able to place the battleship target at numerous angles and in numerous positions is an important feature oi the invention as it renders the hitting of the battleship target more diiilcult. A similar adjustment, at each location may be eiIected for'the cruiser target 39 and each destroyer" target. In each of the battleship. cruiser and "destroyer targets, the sockets or recesses formed therein, are directly over the pegs carried by the target and coincide therewith. Each of these targets is elongated and their sockets are arranged in a row extending longitudinally of the target, and the elongated target with its longitudinal row of sockets, is capable of being shifted to six angular positions at each location, four diagonal positions and two straight angle positions with relation to the transverse rows A of sockets 21. With this explanation as to the location of the several warships constituting the opposing fleets, the player at board structure l5 now removes seven pegs a and the player at board structure l5 removes seven of the pegs a. The player at board structure i5 being the first to shoot, will now turn to the shooting board I! and will select a socket 2! therein and will then read longitudinally along the letters to C and then transversely to "5, this being the position of the socket 21 selected, reading his shot as C5 and will then place the peg a The opponent will trace the shot on the target board at the board structure i5 and reading longitudinally to "C and transversely to 5 will insert the peg a in the socket 43 of the battleship target, which socket is directly over the target board socket 0-5. The player at board structure l5 may insert the next peg in the shooting board I! at "Er-I3" and then reads the shot and the opponent at the board structure l5 inserts a peg a in the socket E-I3 on the target board. The player at board structure I! may insert the next peg in the socket Gr-5", shooting board i1, and read the shot, and his opponent inserts a peg a in the socket G-S on his target board, and the playing is continued in this manner until the player at board structure I! has had seven shots,

and has inserted seven pegs a in the shooting board l1, and his opponent has inserted seven pegs a in the target board l6, at the board structure l5, as shown. The player at board structure i5, after completing his seven shots then asks the player at board structure l5 ii he has hit any of the targets, and the player at board structure i5 advises him that he has hit the battleship target once. The player at board structure i5 now inserts one of the pegs a in one socket 34 of the battleship" score keeping element, and this will serve to remind him that the battleship target was hit with an a peg. The player at the board structure I! then selects seven pegs b and the player at board structure i5 takes seven of these pegs b,

and the player at board structure l5 arranges these pegs in the sockets of his shooting board 11, reading out each shot by the designation of the sockets and his opponent at the board struc- 20 ture l5 places the corresponding pegs b on the target board IS. The location of the pegs b on the shooting board I! at board structure [5' and on the target board H5, at board structure i5, is

indicated in Figure 12, and is described as 25 (E 3" BI 6 HG 1H, (J 6, (M l! UM I3" and M|'|. No hits have been made on the target board H5, at board structure l5, and the player at the board structure i5 so advises his opponent at the board structure i5. Since the 30 player at the board structure i 5 has hit the battleship target on the target board l6, at board structure l5, as indicated by the peg a in the battleship score keeping element 30, the player at board structure i5, if he is skillful, upon again 35 another in the socket Ml1 and another in the socket E-li, and calls out each shot so that his opponent at the 'board structure l5 inserts the pegs, one peg c' in the socket of the battleship target directly over socket 0-1 on target board It, another in socket "G--3, another in socket "J-d, another in socket Jl4, another in socket J-I6", another in socket Ml'l and another in socket E-| I". The opponent at boar-d structure I5 now advises the player at board structure I5 that he has hit the battleship target a second time. The player at board structure i5 now inserts one of the pegs c in another socket of the battleship score keeping element and he therefore-knows that he has hit the battleship target twice, by a peg c and a, and when he shoots in succession he vinserts his pegs into sockets adjacent to the pegs a and c, shooting board [1, board structure I5. The two players shoot alternately and whenever pegs have been inserted in all of the sockets of a target warship, such warship is regarded as'sunk and is therefore removed from the target board. When the battleship is sunk, the player oi that fleet is deprived of two of his shots at each turn, and such player is deprived of two shots when his cruiser is sunk and one shot when each destroyer is sunk and one shot when his submarine is sunk.

'selected location indicating elements 26'.

' other suitable means.

The players continue to shoot alternately until all of the ships in one fleet are sunk, and the player then having ships remaining, wins the game. It is thought to be unnecessary to give further illustrations of the shooting.

While I have shown and described the boards as equipped with recesses or sockets to receive the player pieces or pegs, and pegs of the target elements, yet the invention is not restricted when they are provided. The target is also preferabiy provided with player piece location indicating elements 43, preferably formed of dots, and the location indicating elements 43' are adapted to be arranged above and register with Instead of using pegs, as player pieces, I contemplate using pins 44, having heads 45', which will be properly designated, or distinguished, by different colors or color combinations, or by any These pins are adapted to be forced into the shooting board IT, at the location indicating elements 26', when they are used, or into the selected spaces 26, and these pins are also adapted to be inserted into the target at the location indicating element or elements 43', when they are used. The pin or prong arrangement is very similar to the use of the pegs, particularly where the location indicating elements are employed, as the insertion of the pin will produce an opening, or socket within which the pin may again be inserted.

While I have shown and described the targets as consisting of warship targets, the invention is not necessarily restricted to such type of targets, as the game may be played with othertargets, military or otherwise. It is preferred that the targets be elongated and that the sockets of the targets be arranged in longitudinal rows.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In game apparatus, a target board and a shooting board, each board having rows of spaced sockets and characters designating such rows, a target to be arranged upon the target board and having spaced pegs for insertion within'selected sockets of the target board, the target also having a row of sockets corresponding in arrangement to the adjacent sockets of the target board when the pegs of the target are within selected sockets of said target board, the board sockets and the target sockets being adapted to receive the same pegs.

2. In game apparatus, a target board and a shooting board. each board having sockets arranged in longitudinal, transverse and diagonal rows, the sockets in the transverse and diagonal rows being spaced the same distance apart and I spaced a different distance apart from the sockate in the longitudinal rows, and a target for arrangement upon the target boarduand having pegs spaced for insertion within the sockets in the transverse or diagonal rows, said target also having peg receiving sockets.

3. In game appa atus, a target board having longitudinal and transverse sets of sockets and characters designating such sets, a target having a peg for insertion in a selected socket and also. provided with .a socket for receiving apeg, the socket of the target being in substantial alignment with the peg of the target and of substantially the same diameter.

4. In game apparatus, a target board having peg receiving sockets, and a target to be arranged upon the board and carrying a peg for insertion in a selected socket and also having a peg receiving socket, the socket of the target substantially coinciding with the peg of the target and being of substantially the same diameter as the sockets in the target board so that the player peg may be inserted in the socket of the target or in the socket of the target board and will be properly held therein.

5. In game apparatus, a target board having spaced peg receiving sockets, and a target to be arranged upon the board and carrying a plurality of. spaced pegs forinsertion within selected sockets and also having peg receiving sockets which are in general alignment with the pegs carried by the target the sockets of the target being substantially of the same size as the sockets of the target board to properly receive and hold player pegs.

6. In game apparatus, a target board having spaced peg receiving sockets, a target to be arranged upon the board, spaced pegs attached to the target and extending downwardly below the same, for insertion within selected sockets, the target also having upon its upper surface peg receiving sockets which are in general alignment with the pegs attached to the target, the sockets of the target being of substantially the same size as the sockets of the target board so that both sets of sockets are adapted to properly receive and hold player pegs.

7. In game apparatus, a target board having spaced ,peg receiving sockets, Warship targets to be arranged upon the target board, a peg attached to each warship target for insertion within a selected socket, the targets having peg receiving sockets, the number of sockets on one target being diiferent from the number of sockets on another target, each targethaving one peg receiving socket in substantial alignment with its peg, the peg receiving sockets of the targets being adapted to receive the same player pegs which are inserted inthe peg receiving sockets of the target board. I

8. A target to be arranged upon aboard and having a peg depending therefrom and a peg receiving socket, the socket being arranged above the peg and in substantial alignment therewith and having substantially the same diameter as the peg. I

9. A target to be arranged upon a board having spaced pegs depending therefrom and spaced peg receiving sockets arranged above the pegs and in general alignment therewith.

10. In game apparatus, a board structure comprising a targetbcard and a shooting board, each board having spaced position indicating devices arranged in intersecting longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal rows, the devices in the transverse rows and in the diagonal rows being spaced substantially the same distance-apart and the do:

vices in the longitudinal rows being spaced a different distance apart than the devices in the transverse and diagonal rows, and a target to be arranged upon the target board and having projections spaced for substantially the same distance as the devices of the transverse and diagonal rows for coaction with such devices for defining the relative position of the target upon the target board.

11. In game apparatus, a board structure comprising a target board and a shooting board, each board having spaced position indicating devices arranged in a first set of rows and in a second set of rows, the second set of rows being disposed at substantially a right angle to the first set of rows, and also arranged in a set of diagonal rows, the devices in the first set of rows and in the diagonal rows being spaced for substantially the same distance while the devices in the second set of rows are spaced for different distances than the devices in the first set of rows and in the diagonal rows the first set of rows, the second set of rows, and the diagonal set of rows all intersecting, each board having characters designating the first and second sets of rows, and a target for arrangement upon the board and having projections which are spaced for substantially the same distance as the position indicating devices of the first set of rows and the diagonal rows, for coacting therewith in determining the relative position of the target.

12. In game apparatus, a board structure comprising a target board and a shooting board, each board having spaced position indicating devices, arranged in a first set of rows and a second set of rows, the second set of rows being disposed at substantially a right angle to the first set of rows, and also arranged in a diagonal set of rows all 01 said sets of rows intersecting, the devices in the first set of rows and in the diagonal rows being spaced for substantially the same distance while the devices in the second set of rows are spaced for difierent distances than the devices in the first set of rows and the diagonal rows, each board having characters designating the first and second setsof rows of position indicating devices, and the target for arrangement upon the target board and having projections which are spaced for substantially the same distance as the devices of the first set of rows and the devices of the diagonal rows for coaction therewith in determining the relative position of the target, said target having position indicating devices which are in substantial alignment with the projections of the target.

13. In game apparatus, a board structure comprising a target board and a shooting board, each board having spaced position indicating devices, such devices being arranged in intersecting transverse rows, longitudinal rows and diagonal rows, each board having characters for designating the transverse and diagonal rows, the devices in the transverse rows and in the diagonal rows being spaced substantially the same distance apart and the devices in the longitudinal rows being spaced a difierent distance apart than the devices in the transverse and diagonal rows, and a target for arrangement upon the target board and having projections spaced the same distance apart as the position indicating devices in the transverse and diagonal rows for coaction with such devices in determining the relative position of the target, said target also having position indicating devices arranged above and in substantial alignment with the projections of the target and spaced apart for substantially the same distance as the position indicating devices of the transverse and diagonal rows.

14. In game apparatus, a target board and a shooting board, each board having rows of substantially equi-distantly spaced position indicating devices, and a target to be arranged upon the target board, said target having depending projections spaced for substantially the same distance as the position indicating devices of the target board for engagement therewith and thereby defining the relative position of the target, said target having position indicating devices disposed at its top and in substantial vertical alignment with the depending projections.

15. In game apparatus, a target board and a shooting board, each board having rows of substantially equi-distantly spaced position indicating devices, and a target to be arranged upon the target board, said target having depending projections spaced for substantially the same distance as the position indicating devices of the target board for coaction therewith and thereby defining the relative position of the target, said target having spaced position indicating devices exceeding in number the depending projections of the target, certain of the target position indicating devices being in substantial alignment with the target projections.

ERNEST E. BLAU. 

